Hibiscus heterophyllus-puniceus [Macarthur]

Horticultural & Botanical History

Hibiscus heterophyllus Vent. is an Australian species, found from north of Sydney to Queensland.  It could easily have been collected by John Bidwill who used it in other crosses, notably Hibiscus x sydneyi [Bidwill], which see. 

Hibiscus puniceus appears nowhere else in the Camden Park record and its identification is in doubt.  It presumably had a crimson or purple flower and may have been an Australian native, such as a purple-flowered form of Hibiscus sturtii Hook.  Bidwill favoured crossing plants with a strong affinity, and both Hibiscus venusta-mutabilis [Macarthur] and Hibiscus x sydneyi [Bidwill] are examples of this.  The plant known by this name today, Hibiscus puniceus Hort. ex Regel, was not published until 1860 and is unlikely to be the plant used in this cross.

History at Camden Park

It was probably hybridised by Bidwill and raised by Macarthur.  A plant was presented to the Sydney Botanic Garden by William Macarthur on September 15th 1847 [RBGS AB].

Notes